


Quality Time(pieces)

by automatonBoy



Series: incredibly selective content [2]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: contractual best buds hanging out and (safely) messing with time, incredibly selective acknowledgment of video game mechanics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21766132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/automatonBoy/pseuds/automatonBoy
Summary: This is a stand-alone one shot! I have it in the series because it same my same set of headcanons, but no prior knowledge past ahit itself is needed to read this one-shot!--Something short and sweet of Hat Kid and Snatcher hanging out and the origins of the death wishes
Relationships: Hat Kid & Snatcher
Series: incredibly selective content [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568707
Comments: 10
Kudos: 119





	Quality Time(pieces)

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in the same story as my other ahit fanfiction "You're My BFF" but you don't need to know anything from there to read this! 
> 
> Timeline-wise for that fic this story takes place before Hat Kid defeats Mustache Girl and before leaving Earth. (So zero Moonjumper here)

A dark, horrific creature from a land where purple twilight reigned eternal seated himself in a home where the doors were sealed and the windows forever held the blackest of nights. He hunched over the form of a child, his mouth a tall smile that glowed an unnatural yellow light cut by two sharp fangs. 

Or

A ghost and a kid sat in a spaceship.

The kid, currently hatless despite her name, is plopped on top of a mound of pillows and surrounded in a wide circle by a twisting dark form belonging to the previously mentioned ghost. 

And he was hanging onto every word the young girl said with rapt attention as she elaborated for him the mechanics of her Timepieces. 

The Timepieces she collected held a recording of her retrieving them that she could revisit again and again. She didn’t have to follow the exact step of her originally recorded states, she could actually make different choices if she wanted to! That was fascinating, and he told her as much.

Her head bobbed a joyful nod.

“When there’s a choice recorded, it also records the immediate effects of the _other_ choice. But past _that,_ it’s not really what “would have” happened. And that’s because it can’t record anything _new_ from what might have happened if time continued that way for _real_.” 

“Uhh, can you run that by me again, kiddo?” He was curious enough to admit that he didn’t understand. She nodded the same way she had before and pursed her lips in thought. She seemed excited to go into detail, people must not usually ask to hear about this stuff.

“Remember when you took my soul?” She started matter-of-factly. “I said no to the contract three times, but then I signed after you told me I had one more chance before you killed me. That’s four choices,” She held up four fingers and tapped them respectively. “A no, a no, a no, then yes.” 

She looked up to him. “What would you have done if I said no again?”

Huh, that’s a good question. 

Thinking back to their first meeting, he remembered her being scared but still having some fight in her. That was good, he needed that. He wanted someone who could push past fear and actually complete the contracts (You wouldn’t _believe_ how many full-grown adults would start bawling at the mere sight of a dweller). 

But he also wanted her to know who was in charge. He definitely shouted a few threats to kill her if she didn’t sign, which he was not at all afraid of making good on. 

“Oh, if you kept being stubborn I would have popped your head off right there. Saved myself some trouble, that’s for sure!” He laughed before quickly quieting to continue his train of thought. He was genuinely interested in what she was saying. “But first I would have tried to threaten you some more, wear you down and all. I _really_ needed a new servant…” Oh. Wait. He thinks he gets it now.

“Buuuut, if I would have offered you more chances to _choose_ to sign the contract, the Timepieces can't record that. Meaning in the recordings I don’t give you any more chances.”

“Yes!!” Hat Kid threw up her arms in a cheer. 

“So what, do I just kill you?” With how familiar she was with it, she must have played it a few times. 

“Yep!” Wow. It’s a good thing she doesn’t seem to be holding any grudges. 

…

In a very typical scene for the two, Hat Kid had invited herself into Snatcher’s tree home while he was trying and failing to read, and was in the process of giving him the rundown of her adventure earlier that day. Complete with animated gestures and movements. 

“--the ones with sunglasses were some of the _worst_ , they kept pushing me! But I really wish you could have seen the big one at the end!” Her arms spread wide and encompassing. “They were all massive and fluffy and I was really scared of waking them at first with all those ringing--” Hey, he just thought of something.

“Hey, I just thought of something.” She pauses, freezing in place on one leg with her hands in the air, giving him her attention.

“How about you let me see the record myself?” It wasn’t too long since they spoke about the recordings. And really, what better way for him to truly see her adventures? 

The way she jumped and nodded with a wide grin on her face told him that she agreed whole-heartedly. 

…

Swing. Jump. Dive. Dive. Swing.

One by one the crowd of crows were picked off in a puff of smoke and pons by Hat Kid. Snatcher stayed above her in the air, floating high enough that nothing could reach him.

"Look at all of these birds you're slaughtering! You really have something against them from that botched movie deal, huh kiddo?" He hadn't seen that record yet, but she told him the stories. She even promised a movie night with him the moment her movies came out on DVD. 

Hat Kid jumped a safe distance from the murder before looking up at him.

"Snatcher, don't say that! Once they aren't a threat they stop being recorded."

He _tsk_ 'ed in disapprovement.

"That's not going to hold up in court." He teased.

"Snatcher!!" She whacked another bird with her umbrella. "You could help if you wanted!"

She doesn’t mean her exasperation and he knows it, she wanted to show off that she can do it all herself.

"Me?" She couldn't see it, but he raised a hand to his mouth in shock as he answered. "I’m a pacifist!"

At that Hat Kid froze in place, turned on her heel, and looked up to him with an unamused face.

The comedic timing of this kid made it difficult, but he held his look of innocence... 

Until the remaining bird hopped up behind her and gave a peck on the back of her head.

She stumbled towards with an offended gasp, whipping around to swat the bird into another puff of smoke. Snatcher broke, and let out a loud laugh that Hat Kid quickly joined in on.

Apparently, despite having already done the original events in her recordings, they still take the same amount of time for her to replay when she shows him-- if not longer! He suspects it's their banter that's at fault, but neither of them were complaining.

...

Ah, it was good to be home!

She showed him the recordings of every part of the planet she had traveled, and the sights were something! But nothing can beat being back in his forest.

“Boy, this thing really picked up on all of the details. I can **hear** the souls wailing from the swamp-- _and those fire spirits!_ ”

He chuckled viciously. 

“Oooh, it was one of those times when they were trying to overthrow me, wasn't it?” He had gotten her to deal with them, hadn’t he? He remembered her being the one to finally get rid of them. “What adorable **little** **_pains in the neck_** \-- HEY!" His trip down memory lane was cut off by the sight of a _particular_ minion.

One who not too long ago was caught messing with some of the older books in his home, this must be right before that!

Spotting him, the minion startled and turned to run. Giving chase, Snatcher followed behind calling out the minion by name-- yeah, that's right! He brought out the _name!_

And then the oddest thing happened.

One moment he was gaining on the trouble-maker, the next he’s surrounded by darkness. Was this some sort of, what did she call it, glitch? He pressed the sides of whatever it was holding him, and his world _swayed_ as he did.

A rumble grew in the distance. He kept pressing against the hold of whatever it was that had him, which in turn caused the sway to intensify as the rumble got closer.

He heard the sound of… bats? Bats flying away as the rumble neared close enough to shake his enclosure as well. 

Was he scared? No, not at all. This was still his forest. Confused? Absolutely! 

He considered returning to the "hub", seeing how something was clearly broken. But if he was honest, he was kind of curious to see how this is going to turn out.

All at once his questions were answered as the bag (it was a bag!) opened up and deposited him unceremoniously into a purple void with… 

Oh.

 **“AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH--** **_FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!”_ ** His own form towered above him in one of his own traps, arms splayed and frill spiked in intimidation. 

Oh, _that’s_ what’s happening.

**“You blew it! You’ve totally screwed yourself!”**

Oh, no. This is embarrassing. 

**“Nobody enters MY home and leaves in** **_one piece!_ ** **”**

He thought of the little girl waiting outside the trap right then. Great, there was irony here too. 

The worst part was how he shook uncontrollably. Again, he still wasn't scared. He wondered if it was because he was playing through the kids recording? He remembered her shaking like a leaf the whole time when it actually happened. 

He also remembered making her sign a contract to give up her soul. And oh look, there was the contract now. 

Despite his previous praise of the quality of this thing, this version of him… didn’t look like it cared about the fact that this is himself he was talking to. He bet he wouldn’t react to him saying anything either. 

Just to test it, he floated closer to his copy’s face. It’s eyes followed him but otherwise there was no response. 

He shouted to see if it’d flinch. Nothing. He called out his name. Nothing. He called out the _Prince’s_ name. Still nothing. 

He takes it back, this recording could definitely use some work. If someone had done that to him… it might’ve actually scared him!

Regardless, he shrugged it off and signed the the bottom of the contract with his official stamp. His copy did the same, adding another stamp next to his own. None of this bothered him, no. What he was _dreading_ however...

The purple facade fell. And just as he feared, he was greeted first by Hat Kid's small, smug face looking up at him. 

“Don’t.” He warned.

Her smile became smugger, somehow. 

…

“Snatcher… I can’t let you keep that.”

He snorted, “I didn’t expect you to, I’ve felt firsthand the things you’d do to get these back.” He glanced to her with a grin from the Timepiece he was carefully tracing with his forests magic. “You’re a vicious little thing, you know that?” 

She giggled.

He gave a shrug and resumed his work “I don’t want one anyway! I'm just seeing if I can copy the record on here.”

“... You don’t?” She didn't have to elaborate. She told him before how she had seen a very specific, watered down version of his past royalty and the events that led to the kingdom freezing over. He confirmed it without adding on any more.

He shook his head, and kept his focus before him on the Timepiece. He could see how she’d think that but...

“The circumstances around me ruling my forest in the first place were verrryyyy--" It was hard to be aware of what you’re doing when you’re hanging both from a stone wall and between life and death. "...precarious.” The thought of failing to recreate that? To be stuck in that cellar again? “I have my forest and my minions. I’m not risking that!”

She seemed to accept that with a nod and a thoughtful look on her face. They sat in silence for another few moments before a look of confusion knitted her eyebrows.

“Why did you ever take them, then?”

He smirked “ **That** was a matter of pride! You wanted them, you ran around my forest like you owned the place, and they fell into _my_ forest first. Sooo, I took them.”

He narrowed his eyes at his own words, pretending to concentrate more on the task at hand despite that fact that he was already done. Silently, he pleaded that she would take the bait and argue that they were _her's_ first instead of pointing out his choice of wording…

"So you _snatched_ \--" Oh, _DAMMIT_.

"ANYWAYS, KID!” He spun in place, tucking her to his side in one arm and lifting the newly crafted purple Timepiece into the air in the other. “LET'S TRY OUT THIS THING, HMM?"

He slammed the copy to the ground, causing a new scene to unfold before the two of them.

…

"The little touches are getting better!" She was crouched down and admiring the gnarled purple vines that cracked through the pavement and snaked up the side of a few nearby buildings in the square of Mafia Town.

Using the recording held in the time piece she recovered from a safe, Snatcher had the perfect uneventful scene to test and craft as he pleased. 

After copying the record of the first time piece she recovered, copying the rest was easy. He had a copy of every one so far. It became tradition for the two of them, each time she retrieved a new Timepiece she brought it to him to copy. And afterwards they would run through the record together. It was something he looked forward to.

He couldn't pinpoint when exactly, but he thinks he might have actually became friends with her at some point.

It was getting harder to deny it too. 

And really, how could he when he was working on what was essentially an obstacle course just to entertain her. She’s been… restless recently. He didn’t ask, but he knew that she was doing whatever she could to avoid something. And if he had to take a guess, he’d say it was a final confrontation with a “Mustache Girl” she’s mentioned a handful of times and that he’s seen in her Mafia Town recordings. 

Hat Kid had all of the Timepieces she could collect herself, that other kid must have the rest of them. And after that, there's nothing she can do but go home. 

He'd be hard-pressed to ever admit that that was what inspired altering the records into challenges in the first place. To make them something that she could stay for, or at least come back to.

Coming back to himself, he grinned at the praise.

“It’s all about the atmosphere! Take my forest for example, nothing else _screams_ point of no return, right?" He took a pause, and then musters up the courage to ask.

"Speaking of no return, are you coming back after you get those Timepieces?"

Still prodding and poking the detailing, she nodded. 

“Yeah!” Relief flooded through him at that. A few moments passed before she added, “I know you’d miss me.” She didn’t have to turn for him to know the smug look on her face. 

Before he could retort, she continued. 

“I will too. Miss you!” She turned upwards, not to face him, but the sky. “I really like it here."

He's... glad. After knowing her, after-life would be dull if things went back to how they were before. The most exciting thing that his forest ever saw was the semi-monthly fool who wandered where they shouldn’t have and got roped into a contract. And that would only ever last, what? A day? Two days?

Every minion, dweller, and spirit agreed that the forest had never felt so alive as it has since she’s been around (Well, maybe not the fire spirits...but who cares what those traitors thought)!

"Good." He said simply. "My minions keep hassling me about it!" 

"Who?" She asked, craning her neck to face him. Dammit. He forgot that she knew a good number of them. 

The smile that was in her voice and on her face told him that she knew his slip-up. No, none of them had asked… they probably all asked her herself now that he thought about it.

Not letting himself hesitate for too long, he answered.

"Sue."

"Sue who?" And _right then_ he saw it. The very moment those words left her mouth. The horror on her face as she realized what she had done.

His smile curled up past his eyes.

" _You're suing someone, kiddo_?" He started. Hat Kid let out a long groan and threw her face down into her hands. "Do you need a lawyer for that?"

 _"Stoooop!_ " She pleaded as he cackled.

…

He played through every old recording with her.

Well. 

Most every recording.

Alone in his tree, he spun the purple Timepiece with a claw. _Queen Vanessa's Manor_. Not the name he'd give it, but it is what it is. 

As much as curiosity burned him, he didn't trust himself to keep his mouth shut in a run through with the kid around. And to invite those little eyes to burn holes into him and piece together more of his past? Yeah, he'll have to pass on that one.

While he planned on creating challenges for her based on some of her more difficult tasks, the House was off limits. Even as a recording, it didn't feel right to send her back. Not after he's grown attached. That place killed people, or worse yet, kept them living in a sick twisted state. 

He willed the purple Timepiece away. He'll take a look at it by himself another time.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a man of my word, as promised here is a link to my art blog, aka a connection to my online identity:  
> https://slipnslideblog.tumblr.com/  
> Hi! Call me Silver! Feel free to send in questions or comments or whatever! (Warning, I am very slow with art. But if you have a question or just wanna say hi, I should be able to get to that a bit faster ^^;; )
> 
> I _may _continue this with one more chapter of Snatcher exploring the record of the manor. I'm still working on that one.__
> 
> _  
> _Bonus Fun Fact: I went to pull up some of Snatcher's voicelines for this and I forgot to turn down my volume. His Good Ol Classic "HAHA FOOL" was blasted directly into my ears :')__  
> 


End file.
